Chapter 195

After a brief moment of surprise, I refocused my gaze. Standing there, unmistakably striking, was he—six feet tall, with long legs, elegant yet imposing, his presence conspicuous in the crowd. His sharp, noble features seemed sculpted by the gods themselves—truly magnificent. He looked exactly like a prince from a fairy tale.

Once I confirmed it was him, only four words echoed in my mind: Fate's cruel irony. Thankfully, he hadn't seen me. I had no idea why he was wandering the streets, so I turned and walked away, coffee in hand. It wasn't fear; I simply didn't want him disrupting my plans. After all, we'd been divorced for three years. We should have been strangers.

Hurrying back to the car, ready to leave, I noticed my little brown bear keychain was missing. I froze, then recalled leaving it on the cafe table. I'd only grabbed my coffee. The bear… my son had put it on my keys, and its loss would break his heart. He'd been miserable with a cold lately; I couldn't bear the thought of him crying.

With a deep sigh, I returned to the cafe. To my surprise, Hayden was still there, sitting at my table, drinking coffee and playing with the little bear. I could hardly believe my eyes. In such a busy mall, how could I have run into Hayden—someone so aloof and proud—drinking coffee? My hand, still gripping my car keys, trembled slightly.

What in the world had happened these past three years? First, Lucy and Joanna, and now Hayden, sitting there with my bear? Had I missed a flight, or was I still jet-lagged? I rubbed my temples, closed my eyes, trying to compose myself.

When I looked again, Hayden was still there, staring at the bear, his coffee untouched. I suspected he'd only ordered it as an excuse to sit. But it was my bear, and I had to get it back. I didn't want to confront him directly, so I hid behind a tree and waited. After over ten minutes in the cold wind, he finally got up, still holding my bear.

1:12 PM

Chapter 195

I was rooted to the spot, my mind reeling. This was Hayden—heir to the Parker family, immensely wealthy—picking up a tiny stuffed bear from a café table? He returned to his car, placed his coffee in the cup holder, but kept the bear. Something about it felt oddly comforting, a feeling he couldn't articulate, resonating deep within him. "Could it be fate?" he wondered. Since I found it, I might as well keep it.

He'd asked Lucy about me, trying to understand my likes and dislikes, learning I loved that café. Lucy had said he'd never truly understood me, never known what was on my mind. Now, he followed in my footsteps—visiting places I liked, drinking the coffee I adored—hoping to catch a glimpse of my heart. Even a tiny fragment would be something.

The coffee was sweet, but Lucy had said my heart had been bitter, needing just a little sweetness to soothe it. Until then, Hayden hadn't realized how much I'd suffered during our marriage. "Yvonne," he sighed, placing the bear on the dashboard, "if we could start over, would you ever forgive me?" He pressed the accelerator.

He had no idea I was still staring at his taillights long after he drove away. That damn Hayden. He truly was my nemesis. For three years, all I could think about was revenge. Now, back in Elysiumville, I knew I'd run into him sooner or later. I'd imagined countless scenarios: a silent standoff, polite pleasantries like strangers, or maybe mocking insults. I'd imagined every possible outcome… but never this. Fate, it seemed, had played a cruel joke.

I stood there, grinding my teeth, feeling anger and helplessness, eventually heading home. Before returning to Elysiumville, I'd bought a villa—after my marriage, I'd realized the importance of property for a woman's security. Once my overseas business took off, I bought more homes. No matter what happened, no one could force me out of my own space.

As soon as I walked in, Marlon greeted me. "Where have you been? Waylon's been looking for you." "Ran into something," I replied vaguely, quickly asking, "Where is he?"

1:12 PM

Chapter 195

"He wouldn't eat without you. Finally, he ate a few bites, but now Dylan's telling him a story," Marlon said, taking my coat. "I'll go see him."

I hurried upstairs. As soon as I stepped into the hallway, I heard soft light laughter from Waylon's room and Dylan's warm, affectionate voice.

"The little fox was shivering in the cold, so it hurried into a cave to keep warm…"

Then Waylon's soft, curious voice: "Wow, will the little fox catch a cold?"

Dylan paused, clearly thinking, then said, "Probably…"

"Will it need medicine? Will the doctor give it an injection? Will it cry?" Waylon's questions poured out.

Dylan was silent for a moment. A child at Waylon's age is naturally curious.

Smiling, I walked in, saying, "The little fox is strong, just like Waylon. It never cries when it gets a shot."

The moment he heard my voice, he leaped out of bed and ran to me. "Mommy!"

"Careful," Dylan quickly steadied him as he rushed toward me.

I caught him. "You okay? Did you fall?"

"Nope," the little one giggled, hugging my neck. "Dylan said the little fox could jump really high. Waylon can jump too!" He was mimicking the fox.

I glanced at Dylan, who quickly looked away, coughing to cover his awkwardness.

"Well, I won't interrupt your bonding time," Dylan said, stepping back.

"I want Dylan to keep telling the story!" Waylon pouted, reaching for Dylan's arms.

Dylan grinned, lifting him. "Okay, the little fox is the most fun, right?"

Waylon nodded enthusiastically, then looked at me. "Mommy, you should come listen too."

Reluctantly, I joined them. As I sat, my car keys fell from my pocket. Immediately, Waylon turned. "Mommy, where's the little bear on your keychain?"